Here in The Good Land I made my place beside the still waters. I became a tiller of the soil, a keeper of the flocks, and a hater of pigs.

Ohiofarmgirl's Adventures in The Good Land is largely a fish out of water tale about how I eventually found my footing on a small farm in an Amish town. We are a mostly organic, somewhat self sufficient, sustainable farm in Ohio. There's action and adventure and I'll always tell you the truth about farming.

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Monday, April 14, 2014

All our beez died....

So, all our beez died. They didn't make it thru this long and difficult winter. We think that they did OK up until the last polar vortex got us. It had been warm one day then bitterly cold the next - we think that is what did them in. It's very sad.

Back when we had beez and were happy.

We talked to a lady in town who said she knew some folks who moved their hives into their basement on the coldest nites. To tell you the truth I would have never thought of that. I can't imagine that would go well for us. I'm picturing over-interested cats covered in honey, wax, and angry beez.

We did what we could which was to take up most of the honey. We left some of it out there, tho, in the off chance a swarm is out and about and wants to move right on into our a nice and roomy hive.

Not a bad supper - Honey Soy chicken.

The good news is that the honey is terrific. Last nite we made Honey Soy chicken and it was really good. I can't wait to drizzle some of the honey over goat cheese once the goats ramp up to full production next month.

In the meantime the crazy weather is making us all insane. At this writing (a couple hours before sunrise on Monday) its 73*...but it will snow within 24 hours. It's all a little ridiculous. I'm glad I didn't put any plants out yet and I hope my greenhouse will keep my seedlings from freezing tomorrow morning.

Dang, I am so sorry. I bet somewhere out there is a swarm ready to take over your hive. Move them inside? Yikes. I don't think I would have done that..to warm and cozy, I would be scared they would have started buzzing about. We will be getting the snow as well...with my sunburn, it should feel amazing! *grumbles*

Our bees made it through, but have caught us out by swarming too early, and the place they settled in to was the nearby rabbit hutches, which were empty of rabbits but was the current favourite place for the hens to lay their eggs. It would seem that the bees had a plan, and that was to make like as difficult as they could for both us and our hens!

Several years ago there was a honey farm near us that had a little store and guest shop. We used to take the kids there on weekends to buy honey and other goodies. They had a bee hive inside the store. It was inside a plexiglass box with screen vents built in. The front of the plexi box had a spout attached and a clear length of tubing hooked onto it. The tubing extended out the wall to the outside. You could stand safely in the shop and watch the bees working and they still had access to the outside whenever they wanted it. Maybe you need a plexiglass box in the basement for winter use?

Several years ago there was a honey farm near us that had a little store and guest shop. We used to take the kids there on weekends to buy honey and other goodies. They had a bee hive inside the store. It was inside a plexiglass box with screen vents built in. The front of the plexi box had a spout attached and a clear length of tubing hooked onto it. The tubing extended out the wall to the outside. You could stand safely in the shop and watch the bees working and they still had access to the outside whenever they wanted it. Maybe you need a plexiglass box in the basement for winter use?

Nope, they all died here too. I've got 4 new nucs--2 of which I'm installing now, in the dark. One is in and the other is a little angry so I'm making sugar syrup, will spray them down and go back out to get them into the hive--don't ask why I didn't wait until tomorrow morning--long story!

Hi FF! Great to see you - isn't it amazing to watch them? We were thinking that maybe we could set up a winter place for the beez in the garage. I can't imagine it would go well in the house with all these cats...but who knows!

About Me

In my previous life I was a fussy, type-a tech gal..and now.. now here I am in the flyover zone on a farm. I gave up my Big Life and I became a tiller of the soil, a keeper of the flocks, and a hater of pigs.

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